The May 4 election results in West Bengal have brought an end to the Trinamool Congress's 15-year rule, with the BJP emerging as the single-largest party.
This signals a change in power, with Mamata Banerjee set to lose control of the state. Reacting publicly for the first time, TMC leader and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee accepted the defeat and said that in a civilised society, everyone must accept the people's verdict.
However, he raised concerns over the pace of counting, calling it 'unusually slow.' He noted that in 2021, nearly 90% of counting was completed within eight-and-a-half hours, whereas this time only 6-8 rounds have been completed in the same duration.
He urged supporters to remain patient and appealed to all TMC counting agents not to leave counting centres under any circumstances. Banerjee also alleged that results were not being shared with the media in several places. He cited Bardhaman South, claiming the party had already won the seat, yet recounting was still underway.
Further, he claimed discrepancies in EVM data, stating that in Kalyani, at least eight machines showed mismatches between the control unit data and Form 17C.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that the BJP has made significant gains in traditional TMC strongholds such as Malda, Murshidabad, and parts of North Bengal.
Banerjee had earlier visited the Hastings counting centre but was asked to leave by election officials as he was not a candidate.
Amid the developments, reports suggest that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee may soon meet the Governor. She is currently at a counting centre and has alleged that the BJP is 'looting' counting centres.
Author : Sneha